Apparatus and method for etching a wafer edge

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for etching a portion of a wafer include a mount for holding a wafer having an edge, a front surface, a back surface and an axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces. A frame is used to deliver an etchant to the wafer edge while the wafer is held with the wafer edge at a distance from the frame. A nonreactive fluid flow may be provided and directed along the front and back surfaces of the wafer edge to drive the etchant away from the front and back surfaces. The frame can be configured either to deliver the etchant in liquid form or to deliver the etchant in vapor form. The frame can include a plenum for directing the etchant in vapor form to the wafer edge within a receiving area of the plenum, or the frame can include a roller having a groove for receiving the wafer edge and for drawing the etchant in liquid form to the wafer edge.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for etching a wafer edge.

BACKGROUND

U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,957 shows an apparatus and method for applying etchant to a wafer by supporting the wafer on grooved rollers in a tank and circulating an etchant over the wafer while the wafers are rotated by the rollers. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2009/0242126 discloses an apparatus for supporting wafers on grooved, rotating rollers in a tank, and filling the tank with liquid etchant just high enough to immerse the edge of the wafer at its lowermost portion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,543 shows rotating rollers supporting the wafer in a tank where the rollers are partially submerged in the etchant and carry the liquid in a film on the roller's surface to the wafer's edge. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,945,351 and 6,004,631 each describe a gas etching of a wafer edge while a protective gas is blown onto the wafer's front and back surfaces.

SUMMARY

In various embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus and method for etching a portion of a wafer include a mount for holding a wafer having an edge, a front surface, a back surface and an axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces. A frame is used to deliver an etchant to the wafer edge while the wafer is held with the wafer edge at a distance from the frame. A nonreactive fluid flow may be provided and directed along the front and back surfaces of the wafer edge to drive the etchant away from the front and back surfaces. The frame can deliver the etchant to the wafer edge in liquid or in vapor form. In one embodiment the frame includes a plenum for directing the etchant in vapor form to the wafer edge within a receiving area of the plenum. In an other embodiment, the frame includes a roller having a groove for receiving the wafer edge and for drawing the etchant in liquid form to a position in which the etchant contacts the wafer edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wafer, with the width of the wafer exaggerated to highlight the edge features;

FIG. 2 is a close up, cross-sectional perspective view of the edge of the wafer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A shows an apparatus for vertically supporting a wafer and providing an etchant in vapor form to the wafer edge;

FIG. 3B shows an apparatus for vertically supporting a wafer and providing an etchant in liquid form to the wafer edge;

FIG. 4 is a schematic, cross-sectional side view of an apparatus applying etchant in a vapor form to a wafer edge;

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional schematic view of an apparatus for applying liquid etchant to the wafer edge;

FIG. 6 is a front schematic view of the grooved roller shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front schematic view of the air-drying comb shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a schematic, cross-sectional side view of an apparatus for applying etchant in a vapor form to a wafer edge; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic, cross-sectional front view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary wafer 10 that may be etched in accordance with embodiments of the invention. The wafer 10 has a back surface 12, a front surface 14, an edge 16, and an axis 18 that is central to the front and back surfaces and perpendicular to those surfaces. In the close-up, cut-away view of the wafer adjacent its edge in FIG. 2, edge 16 includes an outermost surface 20 with a back beveled portion 22 and a front beveled portion 24, and front and back edge exclusion zones 26, 28 between edge 16 and the front and back surfaces. Wafers with edges that are blunt-nosed, rounded, bullet-shaped, straight-beveled, or in any other configuration may be processed in accordance with the present disclosure.

Wafer 10 includes a body or substrate 10 a and may include one or more layers 10 b applied to or grown on the substrate, such as a film of low temperature oxide (LTO). FIG. 2 shows a wafer with layer 10 b covering the back surface of wafer 10 and extending over and around edge 16. Such a disposition for the layer is typical for the case where the LTO layer is applied to the back surface to seal that surface against off-migration of dopants or other material during subsequent processing of the front surface of the wafer, e.g., during deposition of an epitaxial layer. However the wafer could also include a layer applied to the front surface and the edge, or just the edge, or with or without any layer or layers applied to one or both of the surfaces and/or to the edge of the wafer.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show an apparatus 30 for supporting wafer 10 in a vertical orientation with central axis 18 horizontal. The apparatus 30 includes a mount 32 for holding one or more wafers 10. A cassette may be used in coordination with mount 32 for supporting multiple wafers in the mount. Such cassette may be of a standard type conventionally used for holding and moving multiple wafers in and out of various processing equipment and/or may be modified as suitable to a particular design of the mount and associated equipment. A horizontal or other orientation for the wafer during this processing may alternatively be used.

Mount 32 includes a drive 34, for rotating the wafer about axis 18 while supported in the mount. Apparatus 30 may be used in several embodiments, including one where an etchant is applied to wafer edge 16 in a vapor form and another where an etchant is applied to wafer edge 16 in a liquid form. The etchant may be any substance suitable for the desired etching, for example, hydrofluoric acid (HF), in a suitable concentration. The HF or other etchant may be stored in a liquid or a gaseous form and applied to the wafer edge in a liquid or a gaseous form.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show embodiments of a transport mechanism 36 disposed adjacent mount 32 that draws the etchant from a source, such as a storage facility 38, and delivers the etchant to edge 16 of wafer 10. The transport mechanism 36 can be configured to accommodate at least five wafers at a time. In one embodiment the transport mechanism 30 can accommodate twenty-five wafers disposed in a cassette and held by the transport mechanism. More or fewer wafers may be accommodated as suited to a particular application of the invention. In one embodiment, mount 32 includes a pair of wafer rotation rollers 40 that are located on opposite sides of transport mechanism 36. Wafer rotation rollers 40 are connected to drive 34 to rotate wafers 10. The cassette that may be used for loading and unloading multiple wafers to and from the mount may be provided with an opening to receive the transport mechanism and the wafer rotation rollers. The cassette may include guides or slots that maintain the wafers in the desired orientation and position and may include a control allowing the wafers to rest on the rotation rollers during processing.

Transport mechanism 36 includes a frame that brings the etchant into contact with the wafer edge. The frame is spaced apart from the wafer edge and remains out of contact with the wafer edge as the etchant contacts the wafer edge. As shown in the schematic view of FIG. 4, a frame 42 for delivering etchant 44 in a vapor form to wafer edge 16 typically includes an inner baffle 46 defining a path for etchant 44, as shown by arrows IB1.

Inner baffle 46 forms an etchant conduit that includes an inlet 48, a reaction zone 50, and an outlet 52. Inlet 48 may be in fluid communication with storage facility 38, e.g. a reservoir of liquid etchant. A valve may control the communication from reservoir 38 to inlet 48. Typically the etchant is drawn into the etchant conduit by gas flow provided, e.g., by a venturi array 54, with the liquid etchant evaporating into a gaseous form to travel to inlet 48. Alternatively the etchant may be stored in a gaseous form.

An outer baffle 56 defines, with inner baffle 46, a plenum 58 that controls the application of vapor etchant to the wafer edge while directing the etchant away from the front and back surfaces of the wafer. Inner baffle 46 may also be provided with a groove 51 on a lower surface 53 which alters the flow of the reactive fluid, raising its profile within reaction zone 50.

A fluid source 60 adjacent transport mechanism 36 provides a nonreactive fluid flow as shown by arrows OB1, e.g., of nitrogen gas 62 or any other suitable substance. Source 60 may be provided by any suitable supply for nonreactive gas, such as piping, controlled by valves and with pressure monitoring and control, coupled to pressurized tanks of nitrogen gas.

Source 60 provides fluid flow OB1 that is directed along the front and back surfaces of the wafer and through outer baffle 56 in a direction toward the wafer edge. An exhaust 59 from plenum 58 provides a path for the mixture of the nonreactive and reactive gases. A hood or other arrangement may route the nonreactive gas under pressure into the area where the wafers are located and that pressure and the exhaust can drive the nonreactive gas along the path described by arrows OB1.

Thus, apparatus 30 applies the etchant to the wafer edge while driving the etchant away from the front and back surfaces with a nonreactive fluid flow. Additionally, exhaust 59 may route the mixed gas back toward inlet 48 for further reaction with the wafer edge or may otherwise remove the mixed gas.

In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 3B, 5, 6, and 7, transport mechanism 36 includes an etchant roller 64 that has a groove 66 that is configured to draw the etchant in a liquid form into contact with the wafer edge. Frame 42 of transport mechanism 36 includes, in this embodiment, groove 66 of etchant roller 64. Reservoir 38 is disposed below roller 64 and holds the liquid etchant, for example at a level below the wafer edge but in contact with a lower portion 68 of roller 64.

As best seen in FIG. 6, each groove 66 is defined by a pair of opposed walls 70, 72 spaced apart more than the width of the wafer edge, typically about 1.5 to 2 times the wafer width. Different spacing may be used as desired for a particular application.

When etchant roller 64 is rotated in the liquid etchant in reservoir 38, groove 66 of the etchant roller delivers the etchant to the wafer edge by operation of dynamic surface tension. Thus frame 42, which in this embodiment includes groove 66, delivers the etchant to the wafer edge without the frame contacting the wafer edge or surfaces.

Adjacent each groove 66, roller 64 may include a pair of sloping walls 192, 194, which walls define spaces 190 between each pair of grooves 66. Space 190, which is wider than groove 66, and walls 192, 194 tend to draw the liquid etchant away from an apex 196 of grooves 66, i.e., where walls 70, 72 meet corresponding walls 192, 194. Such structure helps to prevent droplets from forming near apices 196 that would tend to contact the wafer's front and back surfaces.

As shown in FIG. 7, a fluid source 76 may provide a directed nonreactive fluid flow, such as nitrogen gas 78 or any other suitable substance, to the wafer's front and back surfaces via an air nozzle array, such as drying comb 74. The fluid source 76 can be provided by any suitable supply for nonreactive gas, such as piping, controlled by valves and with pressure monitoring and control, coupled to pressurized tanks of nitrogen gas. In an exemplary operation, a wafer in the mount first begins rotating on rollers 40, then roller 64 rotates to draw liquid etchant to the rotating wafer edge and the nonreactive fluid flow is also applied. After a desired amount of etching is performed or a desired amount of etchant is applied to the edge, roller 64 is stopped and the liquid etchant drains from groove 66, while rollers 40 continue to rotate the wafer and the drying comb continues to apply the nonreactive fluid flow until the wafer edge is dried to a desired degree. Various sequences and timing of operations may be used as suited to a particular application.

In this example the liquid etchant directly contacts the wafer's edge and that direct contact provides most or all of the etching. However, for many etchants, a vapor will tend to be emitted from the liquid in grooves 66, which vapor may provide a degree of etching. So, alternatively, wafer 10 may be positioned and roller 64 may be operated so that the liquid does not directly contact the edge, with etching of the wafer edge resulting from the vapor alone.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 (and also FIG. 3A), transport mechanism 36 includes a frame 142 that creates a gas-to-gas interface at the wafer edge where etchant in a vapor form and nonreactive gaseous fluid flow meet and then are evacuated together from the wafer edge and surface. Frame 142 brings the etchant into contact with the wafer edge while remaining spaced apart from the wafer edge and surfaces. Frame 142 remains out of contact with the wafer edge and surfaces as the etchant contacts the wafer edge.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, frame 142 delivers etchant 44 in a vapor form to wafer edge 16 along a path for etchant 44, as shown by arrows IB2, defined by a lower portion 146 of frame 142. Lower portion 146 includes an inlet 148, a reaction zone 150, and an outlet 152. Inlet 148 is in fluid communication with storage facility 38, e.g. a reservoir of liquid etchant with an open upper surface from which the etchant is evaporating into gaseous form. Alternatively, a pressurized tank of gaseous etchant may be used, or any other suitable source for the etchant. A valve may control the communication from reservoir 38 to inlet 148. The etchant is drawn through inlet 148, reaction zone 150, and outlet 152 by gas flow provided, e.g., by a venturi array 54.

An upper portion 156 of frame 142 defines, with lower portion 146, a plenum 158 that controls the application of vapor etchant to the wafer edge while keeping the etchant away from the front and back surfaces of the wafer. A fluid source 60 adjacent transport mechanism 36 provides a nonreactive fluid flow as shown by arrows OB2, e.g., of nitrogen gas 62 or any other suitable substance. Source 60 directs fluid flow OB2 along the front and back surfaces of the wafer and past upper portion 156 in a direction toward the wafer edge.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, frame 142 includes a slit 176 adjacent the wafer edge and defined between upper portion 156 and lower portion 146. A vacuum channel 178 in fluid communication with slit 176 may be provided within one or both of the upper and lower portions of frame 142. In operation, the etchant vapor and the nonreactive fluid flow are drawn through the slit and into the vacuum channel, typically by a gas flow provided by venturi array 54. Other sources to create the vacuum for channel 178 may be used. Slit 176 may be, for example, about 1/32-inch in height for processing a typical sized wafer. Slit 176 is curved in a direction along the edge of the wafer substantially to follow the edge of the wafer. Exhaust 59 may route the mixed gas back toward inlet 148 for further reaction with the wafer edge or may otherwise remove or route the mixed gas.

As best seen in FIG. 9, frame 142 may include multiple sections of upper portions 156 and lower portions 146, each defining a wall 180. Wafer 10 is positioned between pairs of walls 180. For a typical wafer with a thickness on the order of about 0.75-mm to about 1-mm, the spacing between walls 180 can be about 1.2-mm to about 2-mm, although other spacing may be used as best suited to a particular application. The walls may be on the order of about 0.5-mm to about 1.5-mm thick, which is thus the effective length of the fume extraction channel of slit 176. Other thicknesses and/or modifications to the width, length, and shape of the fume extraction channel may be used as suited to a desired processing of the wafer.

As seen in FIG. 9, the two outermost slits 176 are not adjacent to any wafer. The unused outermost slits 176 may be closed off by a baffle that approximates the same effective gap and therefore the same flow resistance of the slits that are adjacent to a wafer. This maintains a substantially uniform negative pressure in all vacuum channels 178.

In operation, each of the described embodiments can successfully etch the edge of the wafer and leave the wafer surfaces substantially unetched with a transition zone in between the etched edge and the unetched surfaces. Various process parameters and equipment structure affect the quality of the edge etch and the position, width and uniformity of the transition zone. For example, the etchant may be applied at ambient temperature and pressure, but can be made more reactive by various techniques, such as heating the etchant and/or bubbling or otherwise modifying the etchant in the storage reservoir, prior to application to the edge in order to increase the reactivity of the etchant.

The structure of the frame also affects the edge etch and transition zone. For example, for frame 142, when the spacing between walls 180 is reduced relative to the wafer thickness, the resulting transition zone may become narrower and the depth of the edge etch may be reduced. When the spacing between walls 180 is increased the edge etch may be deeper with a wider transition zone. Similar effects may be seen with other embodiments of the frame. The position of the wafer relative to the frame and the relative pressures of the nonreactive and reactive fluid flows also affect the edge etch and transition zone and may be adjusted as desired to produce an edge etch and transition suited to the subsequent processing of the wafer.

In any of the foregoing embodiments, the wafer may be rotated by the drive in coordination with delivery of the etchant into transport mechanism 36 for application to the wafer edge and also in coordination with delivery of the nonreactive fluid flow to protect the front and back wafer surfaces.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. 

1. An apparatus for etching a portion of a wafer, the wafer including an edge, a front surface, a back surface and a central axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces, the apparatus comprising: a transport mechanism configured to deliver etchant to the edge of the wafer, the transport mechanism including a frame configured to bring the etchant to a location where the etchant contacts the edge of the wafer; a mount adjacent the transport mechanism for holding the wafer in a vertical orientation with the central axis substantially horizontal, the mount configured to position the wafer edge in the location where the etchant contacts the edge of the wafer with the wafer edge spaced apart from the frame, the mount including a drive configured to rotate the wafer about the central axis; and a fluid source adjacent the transport mechanism, the fluid source configured to direct a non-reactive fluid flow along the front and back surfaces of the wafer toward the edge so as to drive the etchant away from the front and back surfaces.
 2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the frame of the transport mechanism includes a plenum configured to draw the etchant as a vapor into contact with the wafer edge.
 3. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the frame includes a vacuum channel adjacent the wafer edge.
 4. The apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein the frame includes a slit adjacent the wafer edge and in fluid communication with the vacuum channel, wherein the etchant vapor and the nonreactive fluid flow are drawn through the slit and into the vacuum channel.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transport mechanism includes an etchant roller having a groove configured to draw the etchant in a liquid form into the location where the etchant contacts the wafer edge, and wherein the frame of the transport mechanism includes the groove of the etchant roller.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a reservoir for holding a supply of the etchant in a liquid form, the reservoir disposed adjacent the transport mechanism.
 7. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the mount is configured to accommodate multiple wafers for simultaneous application of etchant.
 8. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the mount includes a pair of wafer rotation rollers, the rollers located on opposite sides of the transport mechanism.
 9. An apparatus for etching a portion of a wafer, the wafer including an edge, a front surface, a back surface and a central axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces, the apparatus comprising: a mount for holding the wafer, the mount including a drive, the mount and drive configured to support and rotate the wafer about the axis; a plenum adjacent the mount and configured to deliver vapor etchant to the edge of the wafer and direct the etchant away from the wafer surfaces.
 10. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the plenum is defined by an upper portion and a lower portion and a slit disposed between the portions, wherein the mount is configured to hold the wafer with the wafer edge disposed in a vicinity of the slit.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion include a vacuum channel in fluid communication with the slit.
 12. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the plenum includes an inner baffle defining a fluid path for the etchant, the fluid path configured to receive the wafer edge therein.
 13. The apparatus recited in claim 9 further comprising a fluid source adjacent the plenum, the fluid source configured to direct a nonreactive fluid flow into the plenum and along the front and back surfaces of the wafer in a direction toward the wafer edge.
 14. The apparatus recited in claim 9 further comprising a reservoir for holding a supply of the etchant in a liquid form, the reservoir disposed adjacent the plenum.
 15. The apparatus recited in claim 14 further comprising a venturi array configured to draw the etchant in vapor form from the reservoir into the plenum.
 16. The apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein the venturi array provides an exhaust, and wherein the exhaust from the venturi is configured to recirculate the etchant into the plenum.
 17. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the mount includes a pair of wafer rotation rollers located on opposite sides of the plenum.
 18. An apparatus for etching a portion of a wafer, the wafer including an edge, a front surface, a back surface, a width between the front and back surfaces, and a central axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces, the apparatus comprising: a frame including a groove defined by a pair of opposed spaced apart walls, the groove configured to receive the wafer and having a width between the walls that is greater than the width of the wafer, and the groove configured to deliver liquid etchant within the groove to the wafer edge; and a mount for holding the wafer in a vertical orientation with the central axis substantially horizontal, the mount configured to position the wafer edge within the groove, the mount including a drive configured to rotate the wafer about the central axis.
 19. The apparatus recited in claim 18 wherein the groove is defined on an etchant roller, the etchant roller being configured to deliver etchant to wafer within the groove when the roller is rotated.
 20. The apparatus recited in claim 18 further comprising a reservoir for holding a supply of the liquid etchant at a depth so as to form a liquid surface, wherein the groove is positioned with a portion that is located above the liquid surface, and wherein the etchant roller is configured to deliver the etchant to the wafer edge in the portion of the groove located above the liquid surface.
 21. The apparatus recited in claim 18 further comprising a fluid source adjacent the frame, the fluid source configured to direct a nonreactive fluid flow along the front and back surfaces of the wafer in a direction toward the wafer edge so as to drive the etchant away from the front and back surfaces.
 22. The apparatus recited in claim 21 wherein the fluid source includes a drying comb including at least a first and a second nozzle configured to direct the nonreactive fluid flow along the front and back surfaces of the wafer.
 23. The apparatus recited in claim 18 wherein the mount includes a pair of wafer rotation rollers, the rollers located on opposite sides of the frame.
 24. A method for etching at least a portion of a wafer, the method comprising: providing a wafer including an edge, a front surface, a back surface, and a central axis perpendicular to the front and back surfaces; providing a frame for delivering etchant to the edge of the wafer, the frame defining an receiving area for receiving the wafer edge; holding the wafer in a vertical orientation with the central axis substantially horizontal and with the wafer edge disposed in the receiving area of the frame with a gap between the wafer edge and the frame; rotating the wafer about the central axis with the wafer edge moving within the frame; delivering etchant in the frame to the wafer edge; and directing a nonreactive fluid flow along the front and back surfaces of the wafer so as to drive the etchant away from the front and back surfaces.
 25. The method recited in claim 24 wherein the etchant is delivered in the frame to the edge of the wafer in vapor form.
 26. The method recited in claim 24 wherein the etchant is delivered in the frame to the edge of the wafer in liquid form.
 27. The method of claim 26 wherein the delivering the etchant to the wafer edge includes converting the etchant from a liquid form into the vapor form.
 28. The method recited in claim 24, wherein the etchant includes hydrofluoric acid.
 29. The method recited in claim 24, wherein the nonreactive fluid flow includes nitrogen.
 30. The method recited in claim 24, wherein the frame includes a roller having a groove forming the receiving area, and wherein delivering the etchant in the frame to the wafer edge includes rotating the roller so as to draw the etchant in liquid form toward the wafer edge.
 31. The method recited in claim 24, wherein the frame includes a plenum and wherein delivering the etchant in the frame to the wafer edge includes generating a vapor circulation through the plenum so as to draw the etchant into the plenum in vapor form. 